The world leader in unique catalysts
and technologies that provide energy
products from low-value feedstocks.
HTI is developing a portfolio of catalytic process
technologies, expanding the HCAT dispersedcatalyst hydrocracking platform to include Direct
Coal Liquefaction and other technologies featuring
nanotechnology-enhanced catalysts. These
technologies are supported by a team of scientists,
engineers, technicians, and specialists with
expertise in petrochemical and refining processes,
coal conversion, precious-metal catalysis and
nanotechnology.
COVER: The HTI R&D Center covers more than 40,000 square feet, comprising
laboratories, pilot plants of a variety of sizes and configurations, and a “minirefinery” process development and demonstration unit capable of up to 30
barrels-per-day of refinery process simulation. The HTI staff is a mix of qualified
and industry-experienced scientists, engineers, refinery specialists and technicians,
whose expertise covers the development, scale-up and design of chemical,
petrochemical and oil refining processes. Roughly half the professional staff have
advanced degrees in engineering and/or chemistry.
HTI’s diversified facility includes extensive analytical laboratories, pilot-scale
catalyst manufacturing equipment and process modeling capabilities, in addition
to the pilot plant operating units, all of which meet or exceed all environmental
and safety standards.
HCAT® Hydrocracking Technology.
A breakthrough in heavy oil upgrading.
The HCAT® Hydrocracking Technology represents
a breakthrough in heavy oil upgrading. While
processes for converting the so-called “bottom
of the barrel” into higher-quality syncrudes have
been in use for almost a century, HCAT is the first
to utilize a simple, two-phase (liquid and gas),
hydrocracking reactor system. The earliest such
technologies relied on “thermal cracking” – using
high temperature to break down large molecules
into smaller ones – while later processes used
hydrogen addition, with solid catalysts, to better
control the quality of the products and to minimize
production of unwanted byproducts. These solid
catalysts, typically a combination of two or more
transition metals on an alumina support base, are
limited by their physical structure as to the amount
of heavy oil they can process and the quality of the
product slate that can be produced.
Until the introduction of Headwaters’
dispersed, liquid-phase HCAT catalyst, solidcatalyst hydrocracking in an ebullated bed reactor
was considered the state-of-the-art in heavy oil
upgrading for both crude petroleum residua and the
oil-sands bitumen found in Western Canada. Adding
the HCAT Hydrocracking Catalyst into an ebullated
bed reactor converts the entire reactor volume – not
just the part where the solid catalyst is – into an
efficient catalytic hydrocracker.
The HCAT Hydrocracking Catalyst is a singlemolecule catalytic agent, chemically generated
within the reactor system from a proprietary
precursor chemical, introduced with the resid feed.
By reducing the catalyst to the size of a single
molecule, the reaction system can be optimized
for desired reaction – breaking large oil molecules
into smaller ones – without having to deal with
unwanted side reactions and byproduct formation.
In the simplest terms, HCAT enables the refiner to
convert more of the residual feed going into the
hydrocracker, into higher-value distillates.
With its ability to handle a wide range of
feedstocks with different properties, maximizing
syncrude yields while minimizing coke and
asphaltenic byproduct formation, HCAT is ideally
suited for upgrading projects using heavier, lesscostly feedstocks, such as those found in Russia,
Mexico and Canada.
Commercial Proof:
The technology has been successfully demonstrated
on the commercial scale at several different
refineries. During a six-week trial at one refinery in
Europe:
The operator was able to increase resid
conversion by +10% over the course of the trial.
Unconverted bottoms sediment remained within
acceptable limits even at higher conversion.
The rate of heat exchanger fouling, a major
problem at this refinery, was reduced.
The operator was able to increase resid feed
rate by 5 tons/hour without problem.
Fuel oil product quality, as well as distillate
yields, were measurably increased.
The plant ran smoothly, reactors remained
stable, and EB catalyst management was
maintained as it was before the trial began.
Plant operations were undisturbed by the
addition of HCAT.
The mechanical system for injecting the HCAT
catalyst was proven in commercial use.
HCAT® Hydrocracking Technology
continued.
Summary:
HCAT offers several significant advantages over
conventional upgrading processes:
Non-deactivating molecular-size catalyst,
introduced with feedstock.
Constant product quality (no catalyst “aging
effect”).
Feedstock flexibility – HCAT works well across a
broad range of residual feedstocks.
HCAT provides flexibility to raise resid conversion
without fear of coking / fouling
HCAT provides flexibility to increase upgrading
reactor throughput
Potential for reduction in maintenance costs (less
fouling, smoother operation)
The ebullated bed reactor has
been in commercial use for 40+
years. When HCAT is added, the
full EB reactor volume is utilized
for the conversion reaction. The
solid catalyst can be optimized
for enhanced functions such as
HDS (desulfurization) and metals
removal.
Direct Coal Liquefaction. Converting coal
into clean transportation fuels.
HTI has developed a direct coal liquefaction
(“DCL”) process used for converting coal into ultraclean transportation fuels, such as gasoline, jet
fuel, and diesel fuel. We license this technology
internationally. The first commercial DCL plant
started up in 2008 in China. In addition, project
discussions, feasibility studies and engineering
studies are underway for clients in China, India,
Indonesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Russia and the
United States.
HTI and Axens formed a strategic alliance
(“Alliance DCL”) in 2009, to provide a single-source
solution for producing ultra-clean fuels by direct
coal liquefaction alone or in combination with
refinery residues or biomass. The two companies
have combined their technologies and licensing
activities for Coal-to-Liquids (“CTL”) projects worldwide.
HTI brings its slurry catalyst technology and its
exclusive CTL research facilities. Axens contributes
its ebullated-bed H-Coal® Process and proprietary
catalyst. Both evolved from a common background
and DCL technologies developed by Hydrocarbon
Research Inc. (“HRI”), which were commercialized
with support from the U.S. Department of Energy
and industrial clients. Building on decades of
experiences in DCL and a database on a wide range
of coals, both companies have continued to increase
liquid yields, improve energy efficiency, lower
production costs and reduce the environmental
footprint (CO2 emissions and water consumption).
Both companies provided technology packages and
basic engineering contributing to the successful
start-up of the first commercial DCL plant in China.
Axens also provides coal-liquids upgrading
technologies necessary to achieve finished fuel
specifications.
Project-Specific Services:
To maintain quality, Alliance DCL offers a wide range
of project-specific services to support licensing of
our DCL technologies, including:
Feasibility studies
Feedstock characterization
Pilot plant testing
Basic engineering design
Operator training
Start up assistance
Catalyst supply
Plant audits and troubleshooting
Ongoing technology support
NxCat . HTI’s Next Generation Catalyst
Technology.
®
The NxCat nanotechnology platform was developed
by HTI to control the formation of particles at
the nanometer scale. Using proprietary molecular
or polymer templates, HTI is able to design and
engineer catalysts as well as other nanomaterials
at the molecular level. Materials produced with the
NxCat technology exhibit the following advantageous
features:
1Control of nanoparticle size
2 Control of nanoparticle composition
3 Exposure of preferred catalyst surface structure
4 Uniform dispersion of nanoparticles
5 Nanoparticles are anchored to support (base)
material
HTI’s NxCat Catalyst is engineered to exhibit the “1-1-0” crystal
orientation of its active catalyst metals, enabling the direct synthesis
of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen, with little or no
formation of water as a byproduct.
Conventional catalyst manufacturing processes
have limited control over these fundamental
features. With most commercial catalysts, only
one or two of these features are well- controlled,
and often not at the nanometer scale. HTI’s NxCat
nanotechnology provides a new way to not only
control each individual feature, but to create the
correct combination and interaction amongst these
fundamental and important features.
The application of HTI’s unique nanotechnology
in the catalysis field can have a significant impact
on the refining, chemicals and related industries.
A new generation of highly efficient NxCat
nanocatalysts could someday replace conventional
ones. New, cutting-edge catalytic processes based
on HTI nanocatalysts will be simpler to operate,
more economically attractive and, most importantly,
better for the environment. NxCat chemistry will
produce the desired end-product with fewer, possibly
zero, unwanted byproducts.
HTI has applied these features to the development
of next-generation nanocatalysts for gasoline
production and chemicals manufacturing. Two of
these potential future commercial products have
already been scaled up from the laboratory to
commercial demonstrations, using catalysts produced
at HTI in metric-ton quantities, as follows:
1 Six tons of platinum-containing NxCat
nanocatalyst were used in a commercial naphtha
reforming unit at a Utah refinery for over a year.
During that year-long trial, the refinery observed
a measurable increase in octane (RON) and total
liquid yield, both of which resulted in a higher
return from gasoline sales.
2 A one-ton demonstration of a supported
precious-metal nanocatalyst for the direct
synthesis of hydrogen peroxide was carried out
with Evonik Chemical Co. (formerly Degussa
A.G.) in Germany. The unique chemical process
made possible by HTI’s NxCat catalyst enabled
very high yields of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2),
with very little byproduct formation. HTI was
honored by the U.S. government for this catalyst’s
contributions to the field of ”green chemistry”.
HTI: A Brief History of Unique
People and Resources.
1943
1964
1988
1995
2001
Hydrocarbon Research Inc. was founded.
Company was acquired by Dynalectron (now DynCorp)
Company was acquired by Husky Oil Inc.
Research Center became an employee-owned company; name was changed to
“Hydrocarbon Technologies Inc.”
Company was acquired by Headwaters and the name was changed to
“Headwaters Technology Innovation” and finally shortened to HTI.
Some of the technologies invented and/or commercialized at
the HTI R&D Center:
Ebullated bed reactor (“H-Oil”, “H-Coal”)
Catalytic Two-Stage Liquefaction (“CTSL”) – Direct Coal Liquefaction
Partial Oxidation (forerunner of GE’s Gasification Process)
Thermal Hydrodealkylation – toluene-to-benzene technology
HCAT® Heavy Oil Hydrocracking
hti’s unique people and resources
Technology-Based Commercialization Specialists
Most employees with 15-30 years’ energy/chemicals experience
Demonstrated understanding of scale-up from R&D to “real world” projects
Hands-on engineering, design and operational experience:
Heavy oil upgrading (H-Oil and related processes)
Coal-to-liquids (H-Coal, CTSL, HTI DCL, Fischer-Tropsch, etc.)
Aromatics and other petrochemical processes
Catalyst development / screening / QC testing
“Cryogenic” scrubbing of refinery off-gas for recycle
Processing of lignin to liquid product
Jet fuel from shale oil
Starch hydrolysis
Waste Stream Upgrading
r&D center
Site Covers nearly 6 acres
Buildings contain over 40,000 s.f. of office and research space
Southern section is located in Trenton (economic development zone)
Northern section is located in Lawrenceville (NJ’s “Einstein’s Alley” for high tech companies)
HTI: Process Units.
overview of pilot plants
Over 20 separate process units.
Batch & Semi-Batch Operations from gm scale to kg scale
Continuous Operation from 1 kg/day to 30 bbl/day (25,000kg/day)
Operation at commercial conditions: Up to 850F (454C) and 2750psi (190bar)
Units operating as fixed bed, CSTR or ebullated bed reactors
Catalyst production capability for up to one-ton batches
cstr test unit
Two stage unit with two 1-liter stirred reactors
Continuous heavy oil and hydrogen feed
Heavy oil / dispersed catalyst feed prepared off-line or direct injection of dispersed catalyst
Off-line vacuum separation allows vacuum bottoms recycle
Off-line pressure filtration
Continuous product separation
Commercial pressures, temperatures, space velocities
Processes 5 to 20 kg /day
bench scale test unit
Two stage unit with two 430 cc’s plug flow reactors
Reactors can be operated in upflow or downflow mode as fixed beds or with dispersed catalyst
Quench gas available
Continuous heavy oil and hydrogen feed
Feed prepared off-line
Off-line vacuum separation allows vacuum bottoms recycle
Off-line pressure filtration
Continuous product separation
Commercial pressures, temperatures, space velocities
Typically processes 2 to 12 kg /day
HTI: Process Units
continued.
pilot scale test unit
Two stage unit with two 3-liter back mixed reactors which can be operated as up-flow, down-flow, fixed bed or
ebullated bed
Continuous heavy oil and hydrogen feed
Heavy oil/dispersed catalyst feed prepared off-line
Continuous product separation
Continuous atmospheric distillation
Off-line vacuum separation allows vacuum bottoms recycle
Direct injection of dispersed catalyst
Commercial pressures, temperatures, space velocities
Processes 10-50 kg/day
Two identical pilot units which can be coupled allowing up to 4 reactor in series
Interstage separation available
On-line hydrotreating available
process development unit PDU
Two stage unit with two 300-liter back mixed reactors which can be operated as up-flow, down-flow, fixed bed
or ebullated bed
Continuous heavy oil and hydrogen feed
Feed prepared on-line
On-line catalyst addition and withdrawal
Continuous product separation
On-line atmospheric and vacuum distillation
Vacuum bottoms recycle
On-line hydrotreating
Recycle gas with fuel oil scrubbing
Commercial pressures, temperatures, space velocities
Processes 5-30 bbl/day
H2S absorber for off gases
Fired heaters
Analytical Capability & Typical
Reporting On Tests.
25 Automated/Computer Controlled Procedures
Over 70 Total Procedures
Over 40 ASTM Procedures
over 70 internal procedures
new methods added as required
typical daily analytical on product streams
API Gravity
Distillations (D-86, D-1160, SimDis)
CHNS all streams (Leco and Antek available)
Ash
Metals (ICP or AA)
CCR
Refinery Gas Analysis
IP-375 Sediment
Insolubles (Quinoline, Toluene, Heptane, Pentane)
full production characterization
TBP distillation of total product
Full product workup on fraction (ie. PIANO, aromatics, insolubles, etc…)
typical daily results reported
Resid Conversion
Asphaltene Conversion
CCR Conversion
Product Yields
Hydrogen Consumption
Heteroatom Removal
All Operating Parameters (T, P, SV, catalyst age, etc…)
The mission of HTI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Headwaters Incorporated, is to be a world leader in the
area of unique catalysts and technologies for providing energy products from low-value feedstocks. HTI’s
core technology, the HCAT® Process, is a proprietary and patented method for hydrocracking heavy residual
oil. Beyond HCAT, HTI offers unique coal-to-liquids conversion technology and holds patents on a broad
range of nanotechnology-based catalysts and catalytic processes. Common features of HTI’s technologies
are energy efficiency and “green chemistry” – that is, avoidance of unwanted byproducts and low
environmental impact.
The HCAT Technology was initially demonstrated as an add-on to ebullated bed upgrading units around
the world. It enhances overall unit performance by enabling higher conversion, lower sediment and higherquality products than were previously possible in ebullated beds. The finely distributed and dispersed HCAT
hydrocracking catalyst enables more efficient and complete cracking of the asphaltenic components of
heavy vacuum residua and bitumen than was previously possible. HCAT has been successfully demonstrated
in refinery trials in Europe and North America.
For more information contact: [email protected]